And So She Returned
by Lady-of-Laughter
Summary: He was home, and he was waiting for her. She had signed an agreement. Sure, she hadn't know what she was signing, but it was stil binding. Now all he had to do was wait for her return, unfortunaly, he had no idea when she would be home...


Hey all! So this is just a oneshot. Complete nonsense, no plot, just random late night/early morning ramblings...Don't expect it to be Epic...But here it is anyways! Enjoy!

-Lady-of-Laughter

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He had been back for two years, and had finally ended his probation period. This night he landed soundlessly on his roof after returning from giving his report to the Hokage. He had just come back from his first ANBU mission, with him had been Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru. They made a good team, although it was admitted that Neji worked best with TenTen.

Even though he was happy to be home, at least as much as a stone hearted man could be, he still hadn't seen Sakura. He had been home two years, and she had been gone for three. With her, on an extended and very dangerous mission, were TenTen, Ino and Hinata. Which was the assumed reason that the ANBU team had included Neji, who usually only went on missions with TenTen.

Walking into his room Sasuke silently tossed his ANBU mask onto his dresser, which was littered with weapons, and moved to the bathroom. After a nice long shower Sasuke came out and dressed, silently getting ready to kill whoever was incessantly knocking on his door. In typical Uchiha form, Sasuke moved calmly to the door and opened it with the equally typical emotionless face.

"If I'm being dragged along, so are you. I'm not going to suffer alone." There wasn't one reason that Neji would be at his door, yet there he was in all his anger. Shifting his empty gaze to the three men behind Neji, Sasuke saw Naruto hopping from foot to foot like a child. It didn't take much to guess who the instigator of the outing was. Even further back, obviously wanting to disappear into his precious shadows stood Shikamaru with an annoyed expression.

Next to Shikamaru stood an unmoving and blank faced Sai, sometimes it was entertaining to watch Sai in social situations; maybe it would be more amusing than he had first thought. And even though no one had mentioned a social situation as of yet, Sasuke knew that it was the reason for this visit. Otherwise Neji wouldn't be telling Sasuke to come along while he was 'dragged along.'

Under normal circumstances Sasuke would have either said no and shut the door, or simply shut the door. But that mission had made him anxious for action. He had been allowed only certain things while on probation, and none of it involved a good fight. Training would only go so far; he needed a good fight or some serious amusement. He was tired of being cooped up all alone, why not go out and watch Sai look like a fool without trying? Or better yet, why not watch Naruto get drunk and make an even bigger fool of himself than he normally did?

At least he wouldn't be the only sane person going on this outing, Shikamaru and Neji would at least keep him from going insane. Although he doubted that they would stop him if Sasuke started, or engaged in a fight, they would most likely stand by and watch with amusement. It wasn't like Sasuke was going to be hurt, he was Uchiha Sasuke, and it just wasn't possible.

With a slight nod Sasuke stepped out and shut his door, watching Naruto turn to lead the way in his high knee walk. How Naruto had made it to ANBU was unfathomable, even worse was the fact that in two short years Naruto would be Hokage. Kakashi was retiring and he had named Naruto his successor. Sasuke could only think that Kakashi's disgusting little books had finally mixed up his brain and shoved it out the older man's ears.

Approaching a well known, and rather full, bar in the center of Konoha, Sasuke wondered at why someone hadn't just knocked Naruto unconscious so they could all get out of this. Too late now he followed in complete silence, empty eyes scanning the patrons for possible threats. It always paid to be prepared and aware of those surrounding you, plus it was a natural habit for ninja. The other three men with him did the same thing as they entered.

A cluttered section of seats met them as they moved towards the mostly full bar. Without stopping they moved on past the bar, going to a group of abandoned chairs in the shadows at the back of the place. There were no ninja other than themselves in this place, hence the reason for the abandoned back area. Any ninja would have gravitated to this place where uneven ground from an earthquake had forced builders to make a higher up area, like a platform.

Well hidden in shadows, shielding from prying eyes as well as gave an unobstructed view of the rest of the bar floor. Perfect for a ninja, but unwanted by the civilians who would want to be on the floor to mingle with everyone else or show off some trait or body physic. Some ninja had been known to laugh at the fickle civilians who were so over enthused with their bodies. No matter what the civilians did, they would never compare to any ninja in the place.

A woman walked up with a smile so large Sasuke sadistically thought that it might have been carved into her face. It was much too cheery to be real, and the eyes she turned to the five men held nothing of cheer. Of course, when a girl like her looked at men like them, Sasuke had only seen one emotion in their eyes, lust.

Obviously the civilian bar maids had long ago made a game of who could make the most conquests with the largest number of ninja. Whoever had the most won for the night, and in the years that Sasuke had visited bars, he had yet to allow any girl to make him a conquest or 'notch on the bed post.' One much too forward girl had almost had her hand broken for touching his chest one too many times, but that had been before he returned to Konoha.

At twenty four Sasuke was still in his prime, and it seemed that every bar maid within the surrounding ten miles had come just to try and make him a conquest. But then the same could be said about the other four men around him. They were no longer bothered for some very obvious, well known facts. The smirk covering Sasuke's face while he observed his friends order their drinks was smug as the bar maid visibly trembled as she took each order of a man that was not him.

Fact number one, Neji belonged to TenTen. Touching was strictly prohibited and looking was like asking for a Senbon in the eye. And in terms of TenTen, touching meant instantaneous death and looking led to being forever paralyzed. It had only happened once, but from then on no one had dared look or touch either of them unless it was to get their order, and that was usually done in haste.

Fact number two, Shikamaru was Ino's. To touch meant a meeting with one of the lead interrogators. And to look meant that a person would be lucky to leave with only half their body broken or fractured. And in a completely non-Shikamaru willing use of energy, to touch Ino meant to face a painfully slow and well thought out death that would leave no evidence of Shikamaru's involvement. To look at Ino would warrant a lifting of the eyebrows, which although not threatening in actions, promised certain death should the person looking not turn and flee.

Fact number three, Naruto was the property of Hinata. Touching him meant getting Hinata to quietly and meekly shrink into herself, showing the shyness of her nature. And that would have every member of the table glaring, no one allowed anyone to make Hinata feel inferior. Except for Sasuke, but all he had to do was glance at a person and they would run. Looking at Naruto would have a red faced Hinata looking away in embarrassment, which would have the table yet again glaring at the offender. And as much as Naruto's personality was open and friendly to most everyone, anyone touching or looking at Hinata would find themselves facing a Rasengan. Naruto had turned out to be the jealous type, go figure.

Fact number four, Sai wasn't socially pleasing, but his girl Amami could be rather frightening. She had been in the ninja class just behind the Rookie Nine, and had not been noticed by the group until she had literally run into Sai. On her way to reporting after a mission she had run into him and hastily apologized before running on. Naruto had bent to grab a book that had been dropped, the woman's Bingo book.

After the boys had convinced him to return the book to her, Sai had managed to bump into her all over town, from shopping for groceries to arriving early for a sparring session with the guys and seeing her finishing some training. Just about every time they saw each other the girl would apologize for bumping into him. Once when he had arrived early to train she had been jumping to the same limb from another direction and didn't see him there until it was too late.

Sai had ended up standing above her on the ground after she had tried to deviate and managed to clip her knee against his shoulder. Both had fallen, although he had managed to land properly, the girl had landed on her back. From there Sai had helped her to the hospital, only after her nagging, blaming him for the fall and telling him that it's what he should do since it was his fault. He had taken her, and stayed to make sure she was okay. After that, they had been together all the time, something that Naruto had grumbled over for ages.

At the moment she was headed home from a mission and would meet them in a few hours. Sai had left a note for her to join them when she got home. No one doubted that she would come; the woman was enamored with the socially inept man, and had taken it upon herself to help him. They had been together for about six months already, and everyone smirked at the thought. Sai still was inept in every way socially, but he had somehow managed to become less awkward with Amami.

"And what can I get for you handsome?" As the woman's high pitched purr of a question rankled over Sasuke's nerves, he ordered in his usual monotone voice.

Not even bothering to look at the woman, who he knew would be dressed just as bad as his former team mate Karin had dressed, and probably twice as dumb, Sasuke was brought to the one and only unfortunate fact to be dealt with. The girl pouted, but Sasuke couldn't have cared less, he had seen much prettier women before, and she didn't tempt him in the least. Even if she had, he wouldn't have done anything; he had a promise to keep.

Unfortunate fact number five, Sasuke had no one to protect him from the women, and he had no one to protect from the boys. Although it was all very unexpected, the unfortunate fact was soon to change. There had been a message waiting for when he returned, from the one woman he had considered as worthy. He hadn't seen her in years, but he had agreed to the arrangement that had been previously set. Soon he would have his girl, and soon he would have a jealous woman to keep away the overzealous bar maids.

He honestly couldn't thank Kakashi enough, not that he had ever actually voice any thanks in the first place. But as genius as his former teacher was, Sasuke was thankful that the man hadn't chosen some other woman to sign the paper. Sasuke's smug smirk grew as he thought about what the paper had meant he doubted his former team mate had even bothered to read it before signing it.

Sakura was going to be fit to be tied, that much was certain. Sasuke was pleased that he wouldn't have to deal with her wrath; from what he was told Sakura had a fierce temper and an even bigger strength at her disposal. Kakashi was going to die just in time for Naruto to become Hokage. But then, if Sakura got wind of Naruto's part in this, he was sure that Konoha would go Hokage-less.

Their drinks arrived and the bar maid irritated Sasuke with her hesitance to leave in half a second. She tried to get him to talk, to order something else, or to take pity on her 'poor aching feet' and used every little female wile to make him ask her to sit by him. It didn't work, it never had, no matter who was saying such things it never worked on him.

Besides, he already had his bride. As soon as she made it home he would have his bride and wouldn't have to spend half a thought as to what Sakura might be doing or who she was with. Such thoughts had plagued him for years, not until last year had he actually allowed himself to think about it. He was very glad he had signed the paper, and no matter what she said when she found out, the deal was done and couldn't be reversed.

Sakura had signed a paper, from what he had been told Sasuke knew that she had assumed it was an 'I will take responsibility of the criminal and make sure he obeys the laws,' although he knew better. The paper wasn't the standard 'I'll keep an eye on him' sort of agreement, which she thought Naruto was also signing. Naruto had signed the standard form, and watching him for the two years of probation. Sakura had unknowingly signed a formal agreement that could not be broken by anyone other than the Hokage.

Sakura was officially Sasuke's betrothed bride-to-be. She didn't know it yet, but Sasuke knew that after her initial shock, rage of anger and breaking things, she would be okay. She had moved on with every aspect of her life except for her love life. She had never had a change of heart towards him, she still loved him. Everyone knew it, and it was only a matter of time before she came around and agreed with shining eyes to marry him.

Sasuke had written and requested to return, he wasn't stupid enough to waltz into the place. After getting Kakashi's consent, and Sakura to sign the paper unwittingly, Sasuke had come home. But after six months of waiting to hear back, then having to disband the remaining Sound ninja, Sasuke had to travel to Konoha. It had taken years to kill Itachi, then Madara and the rest of Akatsuki.

It was part of the reason his punishment was so light, he had killed Akatsuki members and Orochimaru, and that had made him more likable to the new counsel. He had been allowed home, and it had taken him forever to get there. Upon arrival Sasuke had read and signed the paper that showed his agreement to the marriage proposal. Sakura had left on a mission only three days after signing the paper. But what was meant to be a year in a half mission had turned into a three year mission.

Every one of the boys was anxious to have their girl's home again, and Sasuke was privately anxious to have his soon-to-be-wife by his side. He was supposed to marry her once she returned, and he wanted her home soon. Besides that, Sasuke wanted to see what she looked like. There were pictures of her that people had shown him, but two or three year old pictures were nothing like a here and now, in person sight. Not that he would ever admit it on pain of death, Sasuke wanted to hold her, she had always been his bright little blossom.

A moment later a figure moved silently to their table, obviously a ninja from the stealthy walk, Amami set herself in a chair beside Sai and leaned to peck his cheek before smiling up into his face. As the group was coming to expect, Sai glared at everyone within a twenty foot radius before wrapping an arm around Amami's shoulders and giving her a ghost of a smile. His smile, no matter how miniscule, elicited a shinning smile from the woman he held protectively.

She had fun filled violet eyes and brown hair with a tint of red undertones. She stood only to his chin, but stated that she was the perfect size for him when anyone teased her. She could easily wrap her arms around his waist and rest her head on his chest. And Sai was at the perfect height to wrap his arms around her shoulders or waist and rest his chin on her head.

"I saw some people I think you'll all be happy to see." Leaning her head on Sai's shoulder Amami smiled at the men around her as they abruptly stood.

Motioning them to sit again Amami chuckled and said that they would see the people soon. A loud crashing was heard as yells of running ninja indicated that something was wrong in Hokage Tower. At that Amami's smile grew larger as she laughed again. A smug statement of who that could have been, possibly someone who found themselves suddenly betrothed after being away from home for a few years had Sasuke's jaw twitching.

But everything was silent after that, and after forty minutes the incident was forgotten. The very little conversation around the table consisted of weapons, technique, strategy and laments about certain types of missions. Mostly it was Naruto who talked, gaining a comment here or there from Amami. Very rarely Shikamaru would speak, but that was only to point out a flaw in some strategy Naruto had concocted.

An hour later the place fell silent as Naruto opened his mouth to yell something about 'how awesome' his plan was at Shikamaru who had pointed out a gaping hole in the latest strategy Naruto had devised for an ambush attack. At the front stood four figures, two tall and two short, each with cloaks that covered them from shoulder to toe. Hiding the new arrivals from their shoulders to the tops of their heads were cloaks drawn up.

Outside the peaceful sound of crickets playing a symphony was heard as people in the bar began to go red in the face from holding their breaths. Gasps were let out as people started to breathe again, slowly going back to what they were doing with wary glances at the four standing just inside the doorway. And then they moved and the people stilled again in awe.

Each moved with grace, as if they floated instead of walked over the flooring under their feet. Their hoods had been pushed back as they started forward. They moved as one, synchronized in every way. In the front walked a woman with pearl eyes and hair falling out of a loose bun to her waist. Her pearl eyes scanned the crowd and focused on the chairs in the back of the bar, her face gave no emotion away. Her dark blue cape pressed against her body with her movements, but did not split to show anything.

Beside her a woman with emerald eyes and unusual pink hair falling just above her shoulders walked with her face set in blank stone and her mouth in a grim line. Her dark red cape moved with her, just as the dark blue cape did with her friend, nothing was revealed. They walked softly and smoothly, but in harmony with each other and the two behind. They looked like a military unit. As ninja, together in a long mission dealing with things only they knew about, were so much more than that.

Behind them were the other two women, both tall and resolute. One had long blond hair in a pony tail, falling to her waist with bangs fighting to cover one of her blue eyes. Her face was as blank as the other's, simply focusing on the group in the back. Her dark purple cloak covered her body the same as all the others covered her friends, denying anyone to see anything of her but her head.

The slightly taller girl next to her had two buns on her head, each of thick brown hair, her chocolate eyes focused on the back area as her dark green cloak covered her from view. The only difference was the occasional clink of metal on metal from under the cloak, as if two weapons were touching each other rhythmically during her walk. But it was a very light clink, and Sasuke doubted anyone but the gathered ninja would hear it.

Each one was regal in pose, standing tall and straight as well as holding their heads high. Looking straight ahead, without so much as blinking if someone fell beside them as they passed, the women advanced. With practiced ease the woman stopped just in front of the men, only the yell of a bar maid breaking the silence.

It was the girl that had taken the men's order; she obviously didn't like a bunch of girls joining the group of handsome men. When she came over brandishing a butcher's knife, which she had gotten from who knows where, the silence was broken and the crowd started a chant for a fight. The large knife was swished past Sakura's face, it didn't touch her unflinching and flawless face, but it came no closer than six inches of her.

While Sasuke tensed, ready to burn the girl to a crisp, Sakura cocked her head to the side and moved it slightly to see the girl from the corner of her eye. Her look gave no warning, it was as if she was seeing the girl and instead of being threatened, was assessing the weakness before her. Sakura blinked once before turning back to the men before her, only when the knife swung back, only an inch this time from her face, did Sakura speak.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You don't know who you're dealing with." Her voice was the only warning that was needed; her face still showed no indication of even acknowledging that a butcher's knife was being swished an inch from her face. At the girls returned remark, something rather rude even for a bar, Sakura merely blinked as if a fly had landed on her arm.

The foolish girl lifted the knife and brought it down, meaning to cleave Sakura's head from her shoulders. Sasuke moved in the space of a millisecond, holding the girls arm in mid-air and shoving her against a wall he growled. The girl dropped the knife as Sasuke sneered down at her, his Sharingan was activated and the girl trembled. She knew what a mistake she had made and could only hope to live.

"Touch her and die." His voice was low, enough for the girl to hear but not for the surrounding crowd.

A snort was heard behind him, and as Sasuke was back in his seat in another millisecond, he simply drank in the sight of Sakura. She had grown older, at twenty four Sakura had a thin face with defined cheek bones and jaw. Her lips were small, but still given to smiling, her nose could only be defined as cute while he noticed that she had grown into her forehead. She had become a beauty, although to be fair all of them were beauties. Ino was by far the superior in physical attractiveness, but Sasuke didn't care.

He had the woman he wanted, and she was a beauty in her own unusual right. Out of nowhere a man stood beside Sakura, trying unsuccessfully to wrap his arms around her waist. Finally resting his hands on her hips the man jerked her out of her formation and towards himself. Sakura stood immobile after the initial turn out of line. Glancing down at his hands Sakura rolled her eyes and lifted an arm.

"I'm taken. And I'd rather not ever have you touch me again. Let go." Her voice didn't demand, but rather came as a bored statement of fact.

A triumphant smirk lifted Sasuke's lips, yes, she was taken. By Uchiha Sasuke she was taken, he had claimed her as his own, the whole village had known for three months now. The man, obviously not believing her, growled that it didn't matter, that she would be his. With a sigh Sakura lifted an arm, exposing it to his eyes. Slender and well toned her arm was pale, like her face, but it was her hand that held his attention. On her finger, the one the western world put wedding rings, was a band of silver.

His gut clenched in anger, who dared to take his woman? If that didn't turn out to be a mission souvenir, he was going to be well and truly furious. Someone was going to die! A touch of her index finger to the man's forehead had him flying out of the bar, right through the wall and down the street a few blocks. Surprise almost replaced the anger until she moved to hide her arm and hand from view under the cloak.

"I've missed you." The first to speak was Hinata, who slowly reached her hands towards Naruto's smiling face. On her finger, the same as Sakura's, was a silver band. When she touched her hands to Naruto's face the band seemed to shine with a soft silver glow. At that Hinata's blank face shed the mask and her face lit with a smile as she did something very unusual for her. Pulling Naruto into a kiss Hinata pressed herself against him and pulled back to bury her red face, now tear stained, into his chest.

With a laugh of surprise Naruto swept Hinata up and all but ran out of the bar, his words spoken to her drifted back to them in a hum of wordless tones. Seconds later Ino stepped boldly out of line and grit her teeth. Her eyes were determined, although fear shone in them as she lifted her hands to hesitantly touch Shikamaru's face. He waited calmly, typically bored, as she reached for him.

Her silver band glowed upon contact with Shikamaru and like Hinata before her, Ino's face lost the blank look and changed into a smile of relief and almost hysterical happiness as slow tears tracked their way down her cheeks. Sasuke watched as Shikamaru lifted Ino into his arms and left, more quickly than Sasuke had ever seen the man move when he wasn't on some mission or delivering a message. They spoke as they left, but only Ino's breathless laugh was heard by the remaining four, Sasuke had noticed Sai leave with Amami after Naruto had walked off with Hinata.

Sakura stood still, her face grim as a small spark of fear and uncertainty lurked behind her emerald eyes. Something about the rings glowing when they contacted the men was some kind of signal, Sasuke wasn't sure what it was, but it meant something. TenTen stepped forward, not hesitating to rest her palms against Neji's cheeks.

As her ring gave the same glow TenTen smiled and pulled his forehead protector off. Leaning up she pulled his head down and placed a kiss on his tattoo before replacing the forehead protector. Once that was done she gave him a shy smile and let out a tiny squeak as Neji scooped her into his arms and left the bar while cuddling her to his chest. As masculine as that didn't seemed to the crowd around them, cuddling his girl, no one dared speak a word against him.

Well this was interesting. Then Sakura stood before him, her face becoming completely blank. She reached out her hands to him, just as the others had done, and as she lifted her arms Sasuke saw what was under her cloak. Her body was small, but in amazing shape. She had small curves, but they were there. She had nice legs and an hourglass figure and toned but slender arms. Sasuke really couldn't blame the other guys for taking their girls and leaving, he had wanted to grab Sakura and run the moment she pushed back the hood and he saw her.

When her hands touched him, causing the very slightest of muscle twitches in his facial muscles at the contact that wasn't painful, Sasuke saw a soft silver glow. In that instant Sasuke felt emotions slam into him, causing his brain to reel and his nerve endings to tingle. Every emotion that made a person act wild, without a sense of calm, combined within him as he fell back on years in Sound and brought cold calm to himself like a blanket. His mind could only come up with one word for the most prominent feeling that had assailed him, frustration. What had just happened?

A fear rose up and almost choked him before it was shoved aside by wariness and uncertainty. Following that, Sasuke felt rage and helplessness before apprehension settled in to stay. Blinking Sasuke looked down into Sakura's upturned face, she looked apprehensive. There was nothing rational at all about the way he wanted to hold her, to comfort her. And he had thought his friends weird for running off with their girls.

It was just plain wrong, Uchiha Sasuke of all people did not feel the urge to comfort someone. He probably didn't know how, but his arms fought his mind, to sweep Sakura into his arms and find a place to sit and talk. His body fought to be near her, to hold her, to cuddle her close. And that must have been some mental disease she gave him with that ring, _he did not cuddle_. He just didn't do it!

But his feelings for her, the ones that had been stuffed in a box, chained inside a chest then locked into a closet of his mind was free, and his feelings for her was like a smack in the face all over again. Sakura's face lit up like a light, her smile sending her gut twisting, what was she doing to him?

Sweeping her up and into his arms Sasuke no longer fought himself. Speeding in a blur out of the bar Sasuke stopped under the Sakura Tree in the park. From nowhere a large blanket fell from the sky and Sasuke looked in time to see Kakashi jump off to drop another blanket over Hinata and Naruto who were just barely within view. Setting Sakura on her feet Sasuke sat on part of the blanket and pulled the rest up around his shoulders.

Leaning back against the tree Sasuke suddenly felt uncertain and frightened of rejection again. But Sasuke hadn't been rejected once, let alone again. The realization that he was feeling what Sakura felt clicked in his head the moment her emotions changed to anger at falling for him again. Forcing calm over everything else, Sasuke motioned Sakura forward, when she was close enough he pulled her down to sit in between his legs.

Pulling her against his chest Sasuke wrapped the blanked around himself and her, cocooning her within the blanket and against him where he felt her relax. He carefully set his head on her shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to her neck while doing everything he could to make her feel safe and protected. Her sigh of relief told him he was achieving his goal, and when she relaxed completely against him he let her reach with one hand for his face and turn her head to capture his lips with hers, Sasuke knew he had won. She was going to be his and only his for as long as they lived.

"What has happened to you since you've been gone, and what is with the ring?" Sasuke knew his tone was demanding, but he didn't care, he wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"For two in a half years the four of us were spying, pretending to be guards of a corrupted lord. After we gathered all the information we needed, we got ready to leave, after two years we were going to head home. But two days before our departure was planned, the corrupted lord found out about us and had us taken away." Sakura didn't look at him; instead she clenched her teeth and swallowed hard.

"He had a few people, somewhat like Orochimaru or Kabuto, who liked to experiment on whoever had the misfortune to be sent their way. The four of us became test subjects, we're not the same as we were, and we never will be. But we had it easy; the other subjects had it much worse. The men and women played with our minds and emotions. The results are not completely horrible, but they have drawbacks, and the procedures to get there are not…" Sakura's voice faded with a small choking sound.

"The procedures were not humane in the ways they accessed the mind. We were held for a year, only last month did we manage to get out and home. We are changed; our emotions are no longer allowed to run free. We must constantly keep them in check, or we could very well become dangerous and out of control. That's why we have the rings; they help us to become more controlled." Sakura looked over her shoulder at Sasuke's blank face.

"When we walked in we were controlled in the only way we could be, but only finding the person the ring glowed for would allow us to let go, back to how we were before, a measure of who we were of course. It's because the person the ring glows for is the person we are connected to, we are supposed to find the person we are connected to and touch them so the ring glows. It makes the connection more secure and links our minds and emotions. The person we are linked to can help us control our emotions, so we won't ever get out of control." Sakura could no longer look at Sasuke so she looked down, why would he even care to keep her emotions under control?

"All of us are different, Hinata can't control her sadness and Naruto is the sunshine and optimism that she needs. TenTen is beyond outgoing, becoming almost hostile in her attempts, Neji is just the right kind of aloofness to keep her safe from herself. Ino is too full of energy to stay still, and that becomes a hazard, so Shikamaru has the right kind of laid back and easygoing, well technically bored, nature to keep her sane. And me, I have a frantic unease; I can't seem to stay calm and rational to save myself or others. Your calm, your collected coolness of unwavering calm, keeps me from becoming out of control." Sakura hated having to tell him such things, but there was nothing else she could say that would explain their predicament.

Holding her more securely against himself, Sasuke felt her emotions wash over him, the dread and fear when she talked about the tests still made him uneasy as she trembled within his hold. Comprehending what she spoke about Sasuke, the master of calm and control clamped the emotions down and surrounded himself in calmness and let it wash over Sakura. He didn't know how he did it, but somehow he only had to think about his calm going to Sakura and it just happened.

"Did Kakashi tell you about the papers you signed, do you know the truth?" Sasuke only asked his question once her trembling had stopped and then pressed his lips to her temple in a soft kiss.

"Yes, he told me. He also said you signed it too, that you knew the truth and still signed it. He told me that you didn't just want to marry me to rebuild the clan. He said that after two years at home you had wanted to marry me because you loved me. I think he's lying though, why would you love me?" Her voice was skeptic, her body stiff and her worry starting to overwhelm her.

"I have always loved you Sakura, you're the reason I came home. My intention was to marry you, but since you had signed the paper, you were already promised to me. I only had to wait for you to come home." It was disconcerting listening to him profess love in that monotone voice and empty eyes, but the tightening of arms around her and kiss to the temple made her less doubtful, he could feel it.

"You do love me!" Her soft voice was low and husky, as if she were fighting off tears as he tightened his hold around her once more.

"Aa." No it wasn't some kind of flowery words, or even a simple 'yes,' but they both knew it meant something along the lines of 'yes, a thousand times over.' And one had to remember, this was Uchiha Sasuke. When was anything involving him answered simply or with unnecessary words?


End file.
